text:
By Barbara Starr
Although the U.S. focus remains on exerting diplomatic and economic pressure on Syria, the Pentagon and the U.S. Central Command have begun a preliminary internal review of U.S. military capabilities, CNN has learned.
The options are being prepared in the event President Barack Obama were to call for them. Two senior administration officials who spoke about the review to CNN emphasized that U.S. policy for now remains the use of non-military options.
The focus on diplomatic options was underscored by the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in an interview with CNN on Tuesday.
"Before we start talking about military options, we very much want to ensure that we have exhausted all the political, economic and diplomatic means at our disposal," Ambassador Susan Rice said on CNN's "Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
The president has also said that the U.S. is working on non-military options first.
"I think it is very important for us to try to resolve this without recourse to outside military intervention, and I think that's possible," Obama said in an interview with NBC News that aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday.
But the military is beginning to look at what can be done. One of the senior U.S. officials called the effort a "scoping exercise" to see what capabilities are available given other U.S. military commitments in the region.
Both officials pointed out that this type of planning exercise is typical for the Pentagon, which would not want to be in the position of not having options for the president, if and when they are asked for.
It would be Gen. James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, who would provide details on what U.S. military assets are available, what missions they could perform if asked, and what risks U.S. forces might face.
"The Pentagon is closely monitoring developments in Syria. It wouldn't be doing its job if it didn't put some ideas on the table," one of the senior U.S. officials told CNN. "But absolutely no decisions have been made on military support for Syria."
The two officials were not willing to be identified because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
Typically those types of options are held by the Pentagon as very preliminary plans and not even forwarded to the White House unless asked for. If asked, plans are then fleshed out with specific units to support them.
In this type of analysis being done, the military would typically look at all options ranging from humanitarian relief, to support for opposition groups, as well as outright military strikes, although that is an unlikely option, both officials said.
"This remains a campaign to apply economic and diplomatic pressure," the first official said.
The military's work to analyze potential military options for Syria has been quietly going on for several weeks, two administration officials confirm to CNN. The bulk of the analysis is being done by staff of General Mattis, who would be the senior commander if the President were to order any action.
Mattis' analysis is being shared with General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who would then present options to the White House, if it came to that.
"We don't want to be in the position of suddenly dusting off some five year old plan," one official said. The official emphasized the work is extremely preliminary but said the military would look at a full range of contingencies.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, the top Republican on the Armed Services committee, told reporters Tuesday that the U.S. should consider "all options including arming the opposition."
But U.S. officials said that adding weapons into the volatile and violent situation is not a viable option.
"We never take anything off the table. The president does (or) doesn't. However, as the president himself made absolutely clear and as the secretary has continued to say, we don't think more arms into Syria is the answer," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.
Yes, but what Obama will NEVER get through his head is: actions speak MUCH louder than words. He is, and always has been, and probably always will be, all talk and no game.
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a terrible thing.
It's not your fault that your mom drank while she carried you.
Lord Haw Haw, please see a doctor for your mental illness.
I'm all for peace and war is never an answer but the whole region should've been reduced to dust a week after 9/11
You truly have no idea how stupid you sound. Do you? What an absolute fucking moron. A colossal retard.
Your comments are unnecessarily crude...
The kikes were behind 911 and you want to destroy Syria? A total idiot, why don't you kill yourself?
That the U.S. policy remains the use of non-military options against a violent region is unrealistic. But Syria's opposition groups need to ask for sharing the arms imported from Russia.
Why support these Syrian people. Who doesn't want our help instead let them kill themselves.
Go fuck yourself!
While I believe it is a tragedy that must end, I see no point in sending ANY form of military assistance to Syria. If the region wants to show it's ready to play like adults with the rest of the world, let the Arab league handle it. Let those nations accept refugees or send peace keeping troops. America needs to stay out. Remember your Patton... "It seems to me a certainty that the fatalistic teachings of Mohammed and the utter degradation of the Arab women are the outstanding causes for the arrested development of the Arab. He is exactly as he was around the year 700, while we have been developing." These Arabs need to learn that they can't have their hummus and eat it too. They denounce us today and tomorrow want assistance. NO. Not this time. We cannot get suckered into another war by proxy like we did in Libya, where we remove one evil tyrant just to seat something far worse.
We keep prying in the Middle East and we're going to open Pandora's box. We have no idea where the toppling of these governments will lead. One thing for sure.... it will not lead to good old USA "democracy".
If we intervene, then what? Are we to set up a rosy, stable little democracy like we did in Iraq? That's not working out to great the last time I checked.
Sad but true.
No, that is not true. Iraq is not experiencing any more violence now than it was before the end of the occupation. They are governing themselves. What makes you think this is not working? You there now?
No we will put Al Qaeda in charge like we did in Libya.
"No we will put Al Qaeda in charge like we did in Libya."
There's a really good chance that we have put al-Qaeda in charge in Iraq. If not al-Qaeda, Iran. They are in ways opposites but both bad for stability in that area.
Perhaps you should check again...please tell us all why it is not working. Thanks.
Bombard Assad til he ends up sunny side up!! Enough of this manslaughter, I know we are not the world police but no one deserves this!! We are the U.S.A when no one helps...We Do! We are the bigger country we have a military for a reason! Hoo-ah!
Recruiting station down the street, tough guy, you go get 'em.
Go ahead and die for nothing.
Oh, that's right – you're a ball less chickenhawk.
Dir for nothing? Sheesh must not be American man.if you are get yourself checked out and see who keeps you safe and free
michael; what the fuck is 'dir'?
If you think it's worth.....dieing.....for. Be my guest.
Hey Lord Haw Haw...I've had just about enough of your ridiculous banter, you coward. Time for you to go back in your mom's basement...you can come out when I tell you to come out, you piece of garbage.
I've seen no comments which covered this topic: If this conflict was going on in the US, do you think our military would just go ahead and attack it's own citizens? I don't mean the "military structure", but the individual sons and brothers that make up the military. There is obviously something wrong with this situation when the men of the military have no problem with putting a bullet in a fellow citizen's skull. It's indicative of deep cultural problems. If tomorrow Assad mysteriously disappeared and the regime collapsed, do you think everything would be all clear? You'd still have murderous monsters with guns who are ok with dismembering their own people. And if *poof* all of the military people were gone, do you think that everything would be ok? So instead, would we appoint the fathers who raised these monsters, or their spawn? Or maybe daughters? Ooops, seems we forgot a small detail about Islam..
In civilized societies, people have a vague idea of right and wrong at least, but I find it hard to believe that in-mass any European or American army would march through the streets and blow away their own people. The people that we're crying out for are the same ones that dance in the street when bombs blow up to kill infidels. The same people and culture that electrocutes it daughters with car batteries because she had sex before marriage.
Until these people can move into the modern age, they're going to be the civilized world's enemy no matter who's in charge. They will replace a dictator with a dictator, or better yet, total chaos as in Libya, or just a junta-style government like in Egypt. Arm or fund them in an attempt to help them, and they will turn the gun on us down the road. Aide them and the others will scream Jihad.
Totally right, they will never be modernized , they live in the past and it will always be like that, this is the reason for the turmoil
Get off of your pompous horse...you really don't know what you're talking about. (1) Our soldiers shot students protesting a war. (2) American civilians lynched people who didn't look like them. (3) Our police have shot innocent people. (4) I'll bet you a dollar there'd be no protest from a southern klansman "soldier" to forcibly quell the Occupy protests...
U r confused, it's not the army that kills the people in Syria, it's the "Security Forces", that's why army soldier are defecting .. when they can. Very often the soldiers are sent into town to kill people knowing that if they don't, their families will be killed by the Security Forces, which are nothing but a band of criminals who works directly for Assad.
Very often they defect anyway and die by doing so and their family dies with them ,, very often it's the family that tells the soldier to defect even if that means dying.
The only way ti stop this is to do what has been done in Libya ... unfortunately the bastards from whom we buy our underwear because we are too lazy to manufacture them ourselves, are communists and don't like democracy so they veto at the UN. That's after what happened for Libya ... Russia and China govs though the UN resolution against Libya was a joke .. then Obama said . now we show them who we really are, so now they no longer fall for the UN ploy and straight take side for the killing of innocents.
After all .. we all saw what the China gov did in Tienanmen Square and the rest of the city to its own people.
i think that who live in the past is you, i don,t know from where you get your information about our land and people but i know just one thing ,if i saw a criminal in USA and said that all people in USA are like his man and that is the culture of USA i will be 100% on the wrong side and that is not the right way for thinking ;i am not ask you to change your way of thinking i am ask you to stop posting such racist comments and don,t say by every conflict go to history ; and i am sure that the people in syria will overcome this regime which is one of the badest regimes in the world; and without your help and the revolution of syrian people will overcome Russia iran and Israel and all Assad supporters without your Help.
I was 100% behind you until I saw the comment about Israel. Are you trying to tell me Israel supports Syria's regime? Are you out of your mind. Israel hates Assad. You almost had me until you brought that "Anti-Zionist" bull shit into the post.
There is a lot of truth in your post, but I do not believe all of the Syrians do things such as electrocute their daughters for having sex before marriage. To the guy who said "security forces" not the soldiers, please don't be so ignorant. You see videos all the time of soldiers setting up roadblocks, attacking foreign broadcasters, etc. It is very ironic that these same people did indeed cheer when the twin towers fell on 9/11 and now the Syrians are happy the Americans back them towards democracy. Funny... I wonder if they would do the same if they were in our position. By our I mean the Americans.
Just to know, Assad is bringing in Iranian revolutionary guard forces to buffer his own forces. Also, the security forces that surround Assad are made-up of Alawites, like himself, and those who are loyal to his family and his government. Many Syrian soldiers have defected, numbering in the thousands, rather than fire on their own people who are primarily Sunni. Assad is attacking primarily Sunni neighborhoods, which may lead to an all out civil war, although there are some Alawites who are also not supporting Assad. The picture on the ground is more complex and doesn't lend itself to racist rants about Syrians or Arabs I'm afraid. Most Arabs live in major cities like Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Damascus, Jeddah, Dubai, Doha, etc. and are incredibly modern and technologically savvy. In ten to twenty years the Arabs with their large educated and youthful populations will probably be leaving the U.S. and Europe with its aging populations in the dust!
"I've seen no comments which covered this topic: If this conflict was going on in the US, do you think our military would just go ahead and attack it's own citizens? I don't mean the "military structure", but the individual sons and brothers that make up the military. There is obviously something wrong with this situation when the men of the military have no problem with putting a bullet in a fellow citizen's skull. "
We did just that! It was called the Civil War. One of the bloodiest wars, ever. We aren't innocents.
Take care of Syria and Iran at the same time....
Before or after we take care of your sister?
I knew this was going to happen the minute the Syrian army started killing it's own people. The U.S. is bound to go in and We're going to war with Iran soon too. I predicted the war with Iran but i thought it would be way sooner than 2012. I figured after Iraq invasion in 2003 Iran was next. It's all history repeating it's self. I don't care anymore. If the U.S. goes in big freakin' deal.
Stop comparing Syria and Libya or Egypt. You just changed a few dictators for military juntas in power. No democracy will take place in this region if it doesn't please the US. Does anybody see a Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt? Thank you.
NATO support was crucial in Libya and potentially saved many many lives. The world is not isolated areas anymore. We are all residents of his planet and have common interests and human goals.
We should take out assad as a F U to China and Russia. They want to let people die so they can sell arms and because they would do the same to any uprising. This would be three birds with one stone, hurt syria, hurt china, and hurt russia. DO IT!! Russia is Syrias largest importer of weapons and china is the third.
Invade Syria i don't care. Nothing any of you can do about it if the U.S. goes in.
This is not our fight. The U.S. needs to keep its military out of Syria.
Your fight? Didn't know you were going into Syria. Have fun.
Does anyone believe the US Military is JUST "beginning" to plan? Target packages are being activated and executed!
HAHA! No we are NOT just waiting to plan and go in and bomb. Quite frankly most of "US" are sick and tired of being sent all over the world as the "world police" for these SH*@ holes that don't even care for themselves and have been fighting and killing each other since the beginning of time. So IF it turns out the "WE" are sent in there to deal with this crap, DO NOT blame the US Military, blame this worthless administration for getting us involved in something that we should not be! We have enough issues here in our country and should be helping our own FIRST!
"Obama must go! He has ruined this country enough!"
We get out of Iraq just in time to go into Syria. Ya gotta love being in the military fighting wars all the time with the government preparing to cut benefits and retirement.
It's a good thing our armed forces rely on volunteers and we have no draft or conscription; and it's a great thing our fighting men and women understand what is expected of them
I for one think the draft should be re instated, too many young men throwing their life away with drugs and worthless things, plus with obesity going up , why not ..although the military is a calling not a job..proud airmen..hoo-ah
The Arab nations use America's might to help dispose of dictators they cannot, but then scorn America afterward. Why would the American people want to join in? Yes, what is happening is Syria is horrible and despicable, but calling for America to come save them without support afterward is insanity on the part of America. Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. becomes a stench in the nostrils of the American people. The Arab nations only want to use America then discard it as a friend. What do you really want?
Looking at he video that Assad did in this tells you he is very insane and does not know what he is talking about using words like some force came to over trough his regime this his tactic to be ignorant of the situation. By confusing people with words of lies. I dont know which planet he came from ? if i was him i will start doing his prayers for God to space his soul .
everyone has lost their mind . this planet is history youll see.
Not making fun or anything of that nature I promise....but it seems to me that you are letting this bit of news exacerbate what you already perceive as a hopeless, and bleak situation, I can only assure you that's not the case, things are a lot better than we think.
obama does nothing asw usual
He is like all the rest, he has no concience... do nothing and he is like cancer, growing!
Hey Maccain. What if Russia will supply weapons to opposition in America? Have you ever thought about it or you just dont think anymore at all?????
Put me down for 50 Hellfires.
Hey Rony,
its ok, the opposition in america (the tea party) is already armed! (for its NRA/gun support), but they're not shooting b/c we still are a free country. Russia and Syria are both dictatorships. No, i'm not making an error by calling Russia's pseudodemocracy a dictatorship, putin has defrauded their elections and clings on power either in the front scenes or behind them. America needs to do something and do something fast. This is a humanitarian mission, on the likes of Kosovo. If we swore to never let the holocaust happen again, then we do something for syria and do something soon!
so, should we Invade Russia then and arm the opposition, right? I am Russian and i know that 80% of population supports current Russian government. So you wanna arm another 20%, so they could start making mess. You see where its going, you dont know real facts, you just see some bloody images on TV, some headlines and you make inaccurate conclusions.
How dare people use the word "Holocaust" for any of these "Arab Spring" situations! These are NOT governments trying to systematically murder an entire race of people with concentration camps, gas chambers, and crematory ovens; it is dictatorial governments bluntly and blindly wielding military might against unarmed civilians and armed traitors in an effort to remain in power. It may be despicable but the Holocaust was on a whole other level. Even if Assad used his military to kill every man, woman, and child in Syria who wasn't in his military or amongst his cronies, it STILL wouldn't come close to being a "Holocaust", (there's still plenty o' other Arabs around). What the Nazis did to the Jews & the Romany, what the Turks did to the Armenians, THOSE are deserving of the word. Each time some idiot uses that word to describe a group or government indiscriminately killing a few thousand, (or a few tens of thousands,) of people they cheapen the lives & deaths of the millions shot, gassed, worked to death, or hacked/stabbed to death by the Nazis and the Turks.
And don't even bring up Kosovo: armed terrorist groups, criminals, and foreign agitators took up arms against their government and that government tried to put down the rebellion. We were on the wrong side of that one, all the way. Yes, civilians were killed. How many civilians did Sherman's men kill on his march to the sea? How many did we fry in Dresden, in Tokyo? Hiroshima? Nagasaki? And WE'RE the "Good Guys"!?!
Keep us out of it. If we won't do anything to China for what it does in Tibet and East Turkestan, what business have we got in Syria? We can't afford a big war: well, we've had enough of the small wars, too. Spend my flippin' tax dollars fixing some of the damn roads and sewers here instead of on million-dollar missiles we'll fire off by the hundreds and billions of dollars, (and thousands of American lives,) spent (re: wasted!) rebuilding what we blew-up for people who are always gonna hate us no matter what we do 'cause their religion brainwashes them to from birth. If it's in America's best interests to blow 'em up then blow 'em up and let 'em pick up the pieces themselves. Syria has nothin' we need. If we DO help overthrow the Assad government there and waste millions or billions of tax dollars helpin' 'em recover they'll, more likely than not, just end up with another Islamist government to rattle sabres against us and Israel and cost us even more billions of $ tryin' to help Israel defend against them. Screw 'em! Let 'em sort it out themselves!
Jerry – Well said, thank you. I wish more people saw things as clearly. All I see most of the time is people just shooting off their mouths with no regard for anything but themselves.
It is easy to call for military action when you have never served. It is easy to hate all Middle eastern people if you have never known one. It is easy to preach violence and hate when you are safe and secure and in no danger yourself.
McCain is a retard! Supply the opposition with weapons!?!? *shakes head* What the hell is he thinking!?!? Thank the gods he was NOT elected President! Not that the guy currently in office is any good but at least he is not thinking of crazy crap like that!!
i truly understand those of you, who are asking for no war. It's not america's problem to attack and remove assad's regime. but i want all of you to sit for a second and understand what is really happening down there now.
First, thousands of people are dying daily by this regime, so from a human perspective, every powerful country ( america) is obligated to step in and help people.
second, Russia is being struggling for the last couple of decades trying to be recognized again as a world leader, and they find this as their chance to prove to the world that they are up their.
third and most importantly, if Assad gains power again, then nothing will stop them ( Iran, hizbollah, and syria) from destroying the whole middle east, including anything valuable to the US, that means their Military bases, Oil, and Sea acess.
Now does USA really want that, of course not. and for the above reasons i am pretty sure america will do anything to stay in power down their.
Correct me if i am wrong.
The Arab nations use America's might to help dispose of dictators they cannot, but then scorn America afterward. Why would the American people want to join in? Yes, what is happening is Syria is horrible and despicable, but calling for America to come save them without support afterward is insanity on the part of America. Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. becomes a stench in the nostrils of the American people. The Arab nations only want to use America then discard it as a friend.
1. 1000;s of Syrians are dying every day. Most estimate state 5400 Syrians have been killed since the uprising began 9 months ago. In the US Revolutionary War there were 50,000 dead.
2. Russia really no longer has the ability to project power. Their army is in disarray. Their navy is in decay. They could exert air power but would likely be shut down by US air power.
3. Assad may regain power but he will be powerless. The US will impose economic sanctions so deep and strong similar to those on Iran that not only punishesSyria but anyone trading with Syria (Russia and China).
Best course of action is cyberwarfare to disrupt communications, satellite intelligence on troop movements and locations, arms shipments (although difficult to get them through) and tough sanctions on Russia in particular as the main military supplier to Syria. Other than that... lead from behind.
Actually Russia has been rebuilding their forces since the collapse of the USSR. They are now much better equipped. Thing is the US can't afford this. It's bad enough we might go to war with Iran. The UN is better off handling this.
Yeah, thousands of rebels may be dying, but we don't even know if the majority of the population actually supports them. We may go walking in to change a government that the majority population doesn't even want. Know what that sounds like? Vietnam.
95% of the Vietnamese supported communism and we fought against them in the name of "Democracy".Bottom line, People are gonna die in any revolt, but it is no where close to our job to intervene.
syria is not vietnam, sunni muslim represent 90% of the population, and they have been under oppression since assad's dad took over late 1960's.
Assad's regime used terror for the past 40 years to control people, while preventing them from getting proper education, improve economy, build good and open relationship with the west to build a bridge of knowledge and exchange talent instead of hate.
it's sad to see how american people look at middle eastern citizens. but i don't blame them, because same view is shared down in the middle east towards americans. the only way out of this, is for american politicians to finish what they started in libya. get in help, and get out. in return they exchange benefits of building friendship with middle east, and start a long term relationship build on trust and economical benefits.
Israel needs a new place to call home, why not Iran?
Yeah, horrible things are being done. You bother paying attention to the horrible things WE do? The oppressive regimes WE support? Anyone pay attention to the weapons deal Obama signed with Bahrain? That would be the same Bahrain that crushed it's own protest movement in the not too distant past...that we totally ignored. Or do you Obamaites really believe EVERY SINGLE PROTESTOR was an "Iranian agent?" When Bush was in the WH, you would've called that claim the BS it is. How about the Saudis, who we prop up? Yeah, real examples of peace and democracy and progress. Hell, we were more than happy to supply and arm Saddam Hussein. And then he used biological and chemical weapons on Iran and on his own people. Real sweetie, right? Remember the School of the Americas? Where we taught countless officers from central and south America to better torture and oppress their own people? The United States, regardless of who is in the White House, has always been perfectly willing to arm, train and support bloodthirsty regimes...as long as they protect our interests, whether that was 'anti-communism,' oil, or whatever.
For eight years liberals told us 'fighting for peace was like ####ing for virginity.' Forget your own advice so quickly? Is it horrible what's going on? YES! Of course it is! And horrible things are going on all over the damned world, often as a result of the flawed policies of the great powers–both east and west. Are we going to invade half the known world? Stay out. STAY OUT! Wars are horrible, nasty things. If you're going to engage in one, pick a damned pragmatic reason, not out of some misguided idealism. You remember our lovely military intervention in Somalia? Yeah, that ended with our young men being mutilated and dragged through the streets of Mogadishu on meat hooks. Let people solve their own problems without us creating more.
do u remember the holocaust? america stayed out for as much as they could, and over 5 million people were massacred. we promised to never let that happen again. america stayed out of rwanda, and look what happened there, massacres.
don't be so stupid as to assume that syria = somalia. Somalia has thousands of divisions and had brutal war lords battling each other for power after the overthrow of the dictator, whose overthrow the AMERICANS supported. i.e., we helped create somalia's mess.
now we weren't involved in creating Syria's problem, but we should get involved in creating Syria's solution, in coordination w/ other Arab-Islamic communities. Don't think we've already failed w/ libya, i've met countless libyans who are thankful for US intervention, as many ethnic albanians and kosovars are today thankful of US intervention. Just b/c the US intervenes doesn't always mean we lose.
i hope people understand this.
Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?
Amen, give it a rest, people! They need to clean up their own business for a change. I am sick of it.. going on 12 years, just on this stint with Afghanistan alone. Beyond sick of it.
this article says absolutely nothing; or that the pentagon is thinking about giving the president some options who has assured us that there aren't any. Let us know when you have some news CNN.
Can you imagine how much the US has done for Israel? Syria today and tomorrow Iran. It will never stop because of the ambitions of Israel to control the region. This is going to end badly. Now I am starting to believe that the world is in danger because of the Jews/Israelis. In the past they try control Germany and the rest of Europe and ended badly, now the whole world will pay the prize.
This doesn't have all that much to do with Israel.
The US posture toward Syria has everything to do with the Zionist enterprise. Syria is an enemy of Israel and therefore must be an enemy of the United States. Plus Syria is an ally of Iran which makes it doublely a target for Uncle Sam, although there is no way either Iran or Syria in any way threaten the US. Our politicians have been purchased by Israel's friends here and put Israel's interests ahead of American interests. The fall of the Assad regime will likely bring an Islamic gov't to power which will in no way favor Syria's large Christian minority, but our Solons care nothing about that.
You're a hysterical racist. Shouldn't you be strapping an explosive on to yourself right about now?
The Jews tried to control Germany ?
By clogging up the gas ovens, you idiot.
It's spelled "atheist" in case you are interested. I do however concur about the lack of the magic man in the sky.
Israel always obeys the five commandments
You are amazingly ignorant...... Lets try to thing a little bit . who is creating all ofthe world problems . First Irak . Saddam did not understand now he ei dead..... Tunez same story..... Egypt same story with mubarak.... Libia the piece of shit of gdaffi is dead..... the retard of syria assad is next and then the carzymother fucker of Iran..... If your brain works a little bit you can think ???? who is the problem of dictators ..... who says they are all brothers buy they end killing each other . .... people are meant to be the same but arabs / muslims are the real issue now.... how many nobel prizes you can recall from the muslims.... you have billions of muslims in the world and they have less than 5 nobel prozes . Jewish people ..... 12 million world wide . numeber of nobel prizes???? in xs of 200........ You must be a red neck with the IQ of a sardin......keep eating pizza and hammburgers all day.....
What ever happened to military secrecy?
It's not valuable when you want to mount pressure by aiming threats at your enemies.
You must mean a form of indirect pressure.
You mean psychological warfare.
It would be a big secret if the DoD didn't have a plan. Maybe these off the record comments are really part of an elaborate deception plan to cover up that up. Otherwise the DoD is just doing their job, you know, military planning.
Obama needs to stop being a war monger. Let the Arabs take care of their own back yard. We've had enough of war.
Obama got the Peace Nobel Prize, he is a peacemaker and, if you believe me you believe anything.
It's Israel's fault. It's Obama's fault. It's the moslems fault. Its the illegal immigrants fault. It's the liberals fault. It's the non-believer's fault. You can't continue to blame everything categorically on someone else.
The defense of humanity is never war mongering. It is respecting our fellow man enough to say that we will not abide mass murder. Believe in humanity and you will be rewarded. Quiver in the face of evil and you are either weak or evil – make a choice.
Then you go and sacrifice your life. Don't use your power to sit back and sit someone else. Our soldiers signed up to fight for America, not everyone else.
i agree. the first step should be arming syria's opposition in coordination w/ Turkey and the rest of the arab league. Syria is a very dangerous state under assad and it will only get worse. change needs to happen there. if all u "don't get involved" people are so morally correct, then don't feel sorry for the Jews during their holocaust. u are the same people that were probably whispering in Roosevelt's ear "don't get involved, its a european problem. Massacre schmassacre, murder happens and we just gotta live w/ it....no need to involve our troops in that battle"
u people are callous and display utmost cowardice. this is unamerican and unchristian to not do something about this. America has the means (even use drones if u don't wanna risk life) and the capability, yet sitting and just watching is too cringeworthy and embarassing. I expected better from our fellow americans, and we musn't sit idly during this serious time...
Russia and China are with the Arab League. They want Assad in power. Russia has already stated that any attack on Syria or Iran will be an attack against Russia and they will defend. So, do we sit back and let these people get slaughtered (like we did at the beginning of WW2)? Or do we go in and help, knowing this will result in the beginning of a non-nuclear WW3.
Russia never said an attack on Syria = attack on Russia. Stop making up stories fear mongers.
I stopped after reading the first paragraph. I'm tired of fantasy. If the US attacks Syria, Russia will attack the US. end of the world. End of story. The military is NOT considering military options, despite what you read on CNN.
How? With assets besides nuclear does Russia have that would be effective?
Maybe I missed the last 20 years of world history but the U.S. has invaded Iraq twice and Russia responding by attacking the U.S. how many times? Zero. Just because Russia sells a country military supplies doesn't mean they have a mutual defense pact. Russia needs to get in a no-win military situation in Syria? Russia already has plenty of internal troubles with Islamic groups within Russia itself.
And Rome continues to crumble.
Let the Arab League take military action. If they are so upset with Assad, they should foot the bill and put the lives of their people on the line. It's their problem and let them solve it.
... I agree with that ... but I think it will lead to genocide
Well seeing as we have sent the Rebels from Al-Qaeda in Libya to Syria what more do they need? LOL!
Can't you see the carnage and chaos which is all part of the plan?
How many more do you need to die in the name of "freedom"?
It is funny seeing people pretend supporting carnage and bloodshed is "not doing anything", when the U.S. is already heavily involved in supporting the rebels.
Give the Arab League a boot in the as$ to do something about it, it's their backyard.....if we have to, lob some bombs at Assads palace if we have to, but that's it.....then its up to the Syrian people
You guys are assholes. I agree that we shouldn't get involved militarily but to say that we shouldn't do anything and let all these people die is crazy. We should pressure the Arab League to intervene in Syria, this has gone on for far too long.
Where were you when the US military were butchering more than 150K (conservative estimate) Iraqi citizens ?
Where exactly did you get your (conservative) estimate?
Nobody supported the Iraq War and I'm not talking about that, Innocent people are getting killed and nobody is doing anything.
Conservative means that the numbers could be much higher like over half a million or more.
Based on "Iraq Family Health Survey" published in the New England Journal of Medicine which surveyed 9,345 households across Iraq and estimated 151,000 deaths from March 2003 to June 2006. Lancet survey on the other hand concluded that there was 601,027 violent deaths out of 654,965 excess deaths from March 2003 to June 2006 but I think this number maybe too high. Search Wiki on Casualties of the Iraqi War.
Hmm, yes. And how about those mass graves of Iraqi civilians dug up after Saddam fell from power? I guess those numbers don't comply with your Liberal talking points.
Seeing as Assad has been pretty much thumbing his nose at the Arab League, how about all the oil rich countries foot the bill for any American/Western military intervention or better still send their own forces in. It's way past due for other countries to be stepping up to the plate, especially ones from that region.
Stay out of it. They are a terrorist state and deserve to be totally destroyed. They are doing that themselves and don't need our help. Let evil self destruct.
Just because they have a government that sponsors terrorist activities doesn't mean all the citizens are also terrorists – clearly they too are being brutalized and the kids especially don't deserve that. The West intervened in Bosnia and Kosovo.
That's right if Obama should leave our soldiers from the war it will be hard for the Iran and other countries ....
I truly wish CNN obtains IP numbers of everyone commenting in these forums and publishing their geographical location. This way we will know how many of those pretending to be redneck Texans are actualy in Syria. Stupid geese.
There is a whole bunch of Syrian cyber warriors, here and elsewhere. For these most Alawi's, it is a matter of kill or be killed. And Assad is an idiot who dug grave for not just Alawi's but Syrian christians as well, when he thought that he could win in a sectarian civil war. This is not Lebanon, it will not take 15 years, instead it will be done in just about 1 more year, but in the end, the Alawi's and Syrian christians will suffer the most and its because they supported and believed in this idiot Assad and the people calling the shots behind the scenes, the puppet masters of the puppet called Assad, the smiling butcher in pin stripe suits.
Drats these kind of articles sure do bring out the freak show. Stay out of it, unless the U.S gives a full go, this is going to be a snake pit and we're no longer equipped for it.
Besides, Americans have spent nearly 20 yrs doing little more than killing civilians and up to moderately armed Iraqi forces, in outdated equipment, and light armed rebels – and it STILL took a decade. Against a much larger, better equipped and trained Syria – with Russian and Chinese backing? not a chance.
Agreed. No money no funny. Secondly, getting involved with Russia / China could lead to a nuclear exchange, and there are no winners in such a scenario. In fact, more innocents will die than just the ones in Syria. You would have to be a murderous psychopath with no empathy of any kind to put so many innocent people worldwide at risk, the greater good here is not going to be achieved by military confrontation. Just the facts.
No more wars of choice.
This is absurd! Should we strain our relationship with Russia and China for the sake of the Syrians? Let them kill each other, it's not our country and none of our business. If we interfere in Syria's internal affairs and overthrow Assad, the Moslem Brotherhood is sure to move into the vacuum, and they are our mortal enemies. No, let Assad crush the rebels and hold on to power – better the devil we know than the one we don't. The so-called "democracy" movements in the Arab world are covers for the most extreme Islamic elements to come in and seize power. Haven't we learned anything from the "democracies" in Egypt and Libya? The Arabs are incapable of democracy, a Western institution, they will only replace their current despotism with a new one, this time ruled by religious extremists. Hands off Syria!
i agree with u
I see. Just last month, wasn't everyone griping about how much the military is overpaid, blah, blah, blah? It's funny. When you actually think you NEED them, you're on your knees. Typical liberal double-standard.
Who said the military is overpaid? Your making random nonsensical statements. Stop speaking in generalities, makes you sound stupid.
I believe he is talking about the 1 trillion in defense cuts. Pretty easy to see that.
Keep our military out of this please! Do we really need to concern ourselves with another war?
So when your house is the target of a home invasion you want your neighbors to just stand on their lawns and watch. Is that right? Well fortunately for your family if that day ever comes your neighbors have demonstrated that America has a bit more character than that.
USA does not = neighbor to Syria
"we don't think more arms into Syria is the answer".....I other words Obama said let the arms be in the regime's hand only so assad can keep killing innocent people with no interrruption.
The most that Obama can do is bark with rhetoric sentiments and convoluted threats. Syria is now in a long-term civil war, especially that the protesters are all heavily armed. Any military invasion will blow up the whole Middle East arena amid the presence of Hezbollah and Iran, and of course, Israel will be targeted from various angles in the region as a means to stop foreign aggression. Think more than twice, Mr. President!
You are scaring NO ONE. The only ones pieing in their pants are your type. You know why? Because you've gone MAD...
It is easy to call for military action when you have never served. It is easy to hate all Middle eastern people if you have never known one. It is easy to preach violence and hate when you are safe and secure and in no danger yourself.
Agreed. Look what happened to Libya.
We have a slight problem with this. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the occupation of Afghanistan, the Army has gone through some rather radical organizational changes. The intention of those organizational changes was to restructure the Army so that it could better serve in an occupational role and combat an enemy that was largely lightly armed paramilitary forces. In doing so, the Army considerably reduced their ability to fight conventional heavy ground forces based on armor and mechanized infantry formations supported by high quality and well coordinated air defense assets...armies like the ones possessed by countries like the PRC, North Korea and Syria.
While the US would certainly win a conventional ground war against Syria, this is no longer the Army that was expressly designed to face Soviet-style formations such as the ones Iraq used in the Gulf War, and even then our logistical train was SEVERELY stretched because of unexpectedly high munitions expenditures. A war against Syria will be far more costly in terms of expense and lives than the war against Iraq was simply because W's administration rebuilt the Army not expecting to (or not wanting to) fight conventionally armed and armored forces and the current Army structure is not going to do it well.
W allegedly strengthened militarily us against the terrorists but in doing so gravely weakened us against the Communists and other conventionally armed forces. This is going to have a very long term negative effect on our military deterrent.
Well-said, and well-thought-out, but you have a cold war military mentality. We are not going to get involved in a major land war of infantry/artillery/armor vs. infantry/artillery/armor. Technology, strategy, and warfare have changed. So has the world.
US needs to stay the hell out of there. What hell are they thinking, russia has a navy base there, they already have troops on the ground let them handle it, not to mention China is involved.
This will end badly mark my words if US military gets involved. Lets do a 180, unrest in cuba, russia sends in troops. What are we gonna do send in troops to?
Calvert, that's bull$hit. Our airplanes can still attack, our Bradley, M-1 Abrams, and Strykers can still move and shoot and our helicopters can still find, fix, and destroy. Just b/c we've been fighting insurgents for the last 10 years doesn't mean we can't do our real job. Even though the army is "tired" it is more than well equiped to fight these chumps if we have to. They're probably not even going to fight us force on force which we would easily win. They'll probably use a play from the Iraqi playbook, engage us w/IEDs, and blend in w/the locals but that's what MRAPs are for and most of them are in that part of the world already. We already know how to operate in this neighborhood b/c we've been in it for the last 10 years..
Mark, Calvert is not disputing that our troops are no longer well trained or equipped, he's simply saying that our organization has changed. Unless I miss my mark, the US Army began to change the organizational structure from the traditional division format to the brigade. Furthermore, we HAVE been fighting essentially paramilitary forces for the last 10 years, it has hardly been conventional warfare. I think Calvert made some good points, but I respect your opinion
Holy Cow! A polite, mature, rational person on the internet. I'm stunned.
That being said, it is nice to see a post that does not deteriorate into useless bickering.
It was an airplane strike that delivered Khadafi to the rebels. The coward got a taste of the same medicine he was inflicting on unarmed people.
It will be a pleasure to see the coward thugs of Syria getting a taste of the same medicine they deliver to the BRAVE MEN OF HOMS.
The only problem is, we only acted, based upon half of the story, and we ultimately ended up giving Libya to al-Qaeda. Brainlessly rushing in has embarrassed us once, already. I know Obama is itching for better ratings, but we need to do this smartly...for once.
What is your true name? Jaafar?
LGOTS – It is easy to call for military action when you have never served. It is easy to hate all Middle eastern people if you have never known one. It is easy to preach violence and hate when you are safe and secure and in no danger yourself.
Heh, CNN, put a computer on line with these blogs and filter out everyone who can't express themselves without using four letter words and racial slurs! It's a computer, you don't need to pay it extra.
As to the article, sure the pentagon is investigating options, they have options to invade every country on the earth, up to and including Bermuda. It's what they do. Get back to us when there is shred of evidence the gov't is even going to think about discussing these pipe dreams as valid options, then I'll vote out whatever hair brain is thinking of getting us into another mid east war likely to just put extremists in charge of yet another country, after they shoot every moderate who opposes them. Before we spend a penny on another war, the UN better unanamiously vote that they want the US to stick our nose in and save some downtrodden masses from some blood thirsty minority willing to do anything to stay in power. Also, someone else takes the lead and the offical blame, but of course we have sole command of our forces. Either that or pay us. Now that would bankrupt the Euro zone, actually paying for their defense!
Well said and well thought out. Thank you.
Here we go again.......In the US Army they say "Bohica." (bend over here it comes again !!!). Why not let our so called hot-shot regional allly, the israelis, earn their $$$$ billions in US aid, by doing something for a change, and set things straight over there (?)
Hey folks, I don't think they're implying putting boots on the ground but maybe providing weapons covertly.
Do the Syrian people know, if anyone steps in with military action..many innocents will die in the process (bombs missing marks, mistakes in general) If you agree and understand that..sign on the dotted line.
Can't we sell arms to the "Anyone but Assad" group? Then we could make money there, like the Russians and Chinese.
At some point the Chinese and Russians are going to see the writing on the wall, knowing that Assad is gonna be ousted and put down. Their days of profiteering on the blood of the Syrian citizens are therefore numbered.
What fucking world do you live in?
Lord Hawhaw – Either grow up or crawl back under your rock. I think we're all getting sick of the profanity-laden immature verbal diarrhea spewing from your mouth.
I'm sure Obama has some new toys he's just wanting to try out... Regardless, we are the US of A and the world expects us to take the lead. We are the leaders of the free world and I would expect us to fight and defend people when there's another bully in the mid-east neighborhood that needs to be reemed a good one because he has no conscience about killing women, children, and innocent people.
Shame on these middle eastern idiots. Haven't they learned any lessons by watching what has happened to their neighbors.
I am an independent and think we do need to mind our own business and we do on the grand scale but these idiots seem to make a spectacle of themselves and they need to be taught to play nice.....
Yah, so give the Israelis the go ahead, im pretty sure Syria and Iran would be taught a lesson very quickly. Unrestricted cyber war being the first action.
C O V E R T A C T I O N. The Syrian People are bleeding in the streets until their last breath. How can the world tolerate another M O N S T E R T Y R A N T that S T A L I N I Z E S his very own?...M U R D E R E R !!!!!!!!!
Well the Arab league wont stop this guy, so everyone else who would potentially intervene wont risk more anti-western sentiment. Enjoy watching the syrians die in the streets, maybe one day you will realize the west doesnt want to hurt you all the time.
Jabbawocky – Exactly. Why should it always be us that steps up to the plate? They have an Arab League for a reason. That region is their responsibility. Every time we involve ourselves, we get slammed for it. It's someone else's turn to put down the neighborhood bully.
An advice to the Nigger American President KEEP OUT this time SYRIA is not alone RUSSIA & CHINA are supporting SYRIA, otherwise this times your coward christian crusaders want have the oppurtunity even to come back home defeated like they had in Vietnam, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq Take Care, all of them will turn up back home in bodybags
"an advice" There is the level of brains youre dealing with in this post.
Check your facts my brother, Obama is no Christian crusader, he is currently crusading against the Catholics at the moment, muslims dont even make the list. Obama is not Bush srry.
Hmmm.....someone sounds a little scared. We don't need troops on the ground to help the Syrians. Just a couple of switches and buttons and no more Assad air force, command and control, tanks...all gone. Then the opposition will least have a chance. Watch Iran your next.
Truth is, a bigot like you isn't fit to shine the President's shoes and don't you forget that, ok?
It's so funny reading your silliness and it's pretty clear you have no depth or understanding of world events, at least you write English OK and your comprehension seems OK for an eighth grader, all in all not bad. Yes Russia and China do support Syria yet even they see what stands before them with that support and the support of Iran. China is moving away from Iran and getting its oil from other places and Russia is going to "help" Assad find another place to live…
Both know they are not strong enough to take on the US even together let alone with NATO with us and Hezbollah with you and your morons; hopefully Hezbollah would fight to the death and Israel would love to take them out…
Bottom line is nobody but you perhaps wants to see that kind of destruction since it would be horrific for you and your family but if you don't care about you and yours why should we, right?
As far as the Christian thing goes I do wonder if you people will ever get out of the 12th century. You and your people are stunted and your development is arrested. As far as the coward thing goes, well the facts speak for themselves don't they? Truth is you would never want to face our military since it is unlikely you would survive as many of your jihadists have discovered, right? You need to grow up, accept responsibility and stop abusing your women and show the world that you are not stupid savages; frankly, I just don't think you have what it takes to grow and become men. You will always be children requiring adult supervision for hundreds perhaps even thousands of years…
As far as the nigger thing goes we have a saying "you are the pot calling the kettle black' aren't you? Everyone knows it or you wouldn't be talking the way you are now would you?
US 10,000, Somalia 17. Typical jihadi win. Look what you got in return! The worst real estate on earth, apart from North Korea. Congratulations. Your language shows you deserve it.
Send Navy Seals Team6 (again) to kill Assad.
Sorry, no can do. Budget control act in effect (Sequestration) so gotta save money somewhere.
Yes they are good, but stop pretending they walk on water – and stop pretending they are the only ones either.
Geez, Not that motley group of murderers. The over-rated team will shoot up everything in place including unarmed men, women, children and old man in pyjamas except the men with AK-47.
They don't even exist.
Best Option: Stay the hell out of the fight. If it is bad enough for the USA to be in it then it is bad enough for the Arab Leage to take care of their own and do the fighting. The USA has all ready mucked up the Mideast. The USA is broke and cannot afford to get into yet another "police action" governed by political idiots that are not trained to win a war but only spend money making the USA look like idiots.
Here's a simple solution: Instead of giving Israel 4 billion a year, take a portion of that money and give it to the Free Syrian Army in order that they may have weapons to defend themselves. This reallocation of money would benefit the US, Syria, and Israel in both the short term and the long term.
How about mind our own business? Part of the reason for all the unrest is U.S. foreign policy...that's a fact. This isn't our business.
I agree, mind out own business and watch the Israeli's steam role these guys. Imma sit back and have some popcorn. It would be quite the show. Its amazing what a country can do when not restrained by all these liberals. Yes the military feels sorry for the Syrians, but we cant afford it. I guess thats we we are giving 200K soldiers and sailors the pink slip in the next 2-5 years.
How many civilians does it take to die before you cowards grow a backbone. I seem to remember a lot of countries fighting in Afghanistan right now besides the United States, but I only remember Al Qaeda attacking the U.S. on 9/11. Im sorry saving thousands of lives will cost you that new big screen tv. Im sorry saving thousands of lives makes your life some how a little uncomfortable. For the pass 10 years I was asked to protect Iraqi and Afghan Civilians from insurgents that wanted to harm them. If asked to protect Syrian Civilians from being killed, I would again answer the call. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
I was in Iraq too...it was a wasted effort. Look at it now.
The US Constitution states we're not to engage in conflicts/war unless there is an immediate threat to the US soil. Period. Are we supposed to be the self-appointed 911 to the world? How would you feel if you're fighting in Afghan right now and the Govt announces we're thru fighting next year? wtf?
Let evil triumph, we need to spend more on medicare/medicaid, and less on the military...muahhahaha
No no no no no no no no no no no no. Stay the hell out. DO NOT intervene.
Here's an option, military. Stay home, save your country by saving money and sitting this one out. If there are other people in the world that see the need to jump in on this one and help out, then it will all work out ok. If we are the only ones who care, it's never going to work out anyway. Good luck Syria, I cheer for your people. But it's up to you to work it out on your own.
I agree. The U.S. military should not intervene at all. Let every last Syrian die. The liberals want to bash veterans, troops, etc.; so U.S. military stay out and watch what happens. Then after a couple thousand more civlians die, maybe the Arab League can give the UN sponsorship for peacekeepers, no US included. I dislike all the liberals who have bashed the US military soldiers and have no issue watching Syrians die as a result. Liberals you deserve this all of it and more. People protest at soldiers funerals, when they should direct their attention to politicians. Sorry some people need to occupy a job.
The President makes it clear that he won't even send weapons to Syria, much less troops, and posters here are criticizing the invasion and its cost. Where were you when Bush 43 invaded Iraq on completely bogus grounds?
I was on the street protesting the war, where were you Dave?
Trust me Dave, we have special ops there right now.
This is just a beginning of the game. Here how it will all end:
Obama in 30 days – "As you could see we did all we could to keep the peace. I did not want the war, but no other options we have now".
By the way – how about Greece? – don't we have to send tanks there too? oh wait – they don't have oil... never mind
This is just a beginning of the game. Here how it will all end:
Obam a in 30 days – "As you could see we did all we could to keep the peace. I did not want the w a r, but no other options we have now".
By the way – how about Greece? – don't we have to send tanks there too? oh wait – they don't have oil... never mind
What no one is saying and I believe is involved is that many of the military people that are involved in the killing of Syrian civilians so ruthlessly are actually Iranian soldiers sent by Iran to assist in suppressing the Syrian people. It would fit into what is going on there.
Nice comment and I wonder why there aren't responses to it. I believe targeted instability helps Iran, which they can then "fix" to their advantage. This strategy has proven effective with de facto Iranian control of lots of territory. I see parallels to Czechoslovakia '68 and Hungary '56, where Soviet 'help' caused a lot of death. Have you read The Devil We Know by Robert Baer?
Military option????????????? Here we go again, Uncle Sam, savior of the world.
How many Americans want this? How about we tell the world, uhh sorry were broke, so your on your own.
We were broke during world war II But we still saved innocent human life. That is what leadership is! Get it?
First, this isn't WW 2, Second, we slaughtered thousands during that war, and in every war since. Saving innocent human life is not what war is good at. And leadership is about alot of things, not just jumping into every war that comes by. So yes, I get it. And you don't.
If only countries came to the help of the Confederacy...
The only Dixie flag flying is the ones in backyards of yokels dreaming of what if.
I am sick and tired listening to Hilary Clintons double standard and propaganda that her Bill invented.
"On Kosovo: 400,000 refugees, like it was not convincing enough raised the score to 1 milion, 200,000 killed, 50,000 rapes.In Bosnia 100 thousand rapes, concentration camps, 200,000 killed. Iraq and Iran building atom bombs, they want
to destroy Israel, Libya in similar fashion bombing and destroying Cities while they bomb them to hell"
Enough you war mongers, come down to your senses and stop interfering in affairs of sovereign states, stop medling
in their afairs, supplying and arming terorist that comes back to your country to hunt you and you canot see that.
We absolutely should not try to help Syria, a police state, do anything. Tell the Arab League to go handle it.
It is not the police state that the us would assist. it is the opposition to the police state.
I am a democrat, but if Obama goes into Syria, I will not vote in the next election.
Vote for a 3rd party please, don't waste your vote by staying at home. Make it clear that binary thinking is bad for politics.
If you go to war against Syria the may not be anymore elections period. Russia and China are going to alied with them, you are broke and might end up speaking chinese. Leave them fight it out. let the arabs look after themselves. Oh unless you want to steal their oil too 🙂
If you go to war against Syria there may not be anymore elections period. Russia and China are going to alied with them, you are broke and might end up speaking chinese. Leave them fight it out. let the arabs look after themselves. Oh unless you want to steal their oil too 🙂
Like Russia or China give a damn about what happens in Syria. They only want their trade contracts to go through before a regime shift and then jump in behind the reform to save face.
I am pretty confused about your post. It generally just lacks sense. Maybe too much receiving news from faux news? Come on man...
I was thinking perhaps some politicians could use their campaign funds to support a skirmish in Syria.
May God bless the United States of America.....
F-yeah too thug
God doesn't exist.
Fuck America.
Hey Lord Haw Haw (or Lord Suck me Off, as most of your friends call you) why don't you get off your mom and dads computer before they come home and send you straight to bed with a spanking for even being on it. And not doing your school work. I wish I could run into your little twink ass, I would kick your ass up and down your block, then as you lie their crying and whimpering like the little bitch that you are, I would kick it about an hour more, just to pound some sense into your stupid fucking head....Every single night you can hear your mother yelling at your father, cussing him out for never wearing a condom...........
Rick – Hahahahahahahaha. Thank you. he definitely had that coming.
Let's focus on our own politics before inserting ourselves into another country's. Our own borders aren't even secure and narco-terror is seeping into the southwest. Time to worry about the U.S. only, for once.
Heartless bigoted disgusting remarks from most of you!
Here we go again...The Police Of The World. Does it matter to anyone that we are broke, horribly in debt, and borrowing heavily from China? Has anyone wondered WHO will come to the rescue of the US should someone decide to attack us? Think Iraq will? Afghanistan? Libya? The Syrians? Who will come to the aid of the US? I KNOW the people are having a horrible time, but, you know that every time I see shooting, killing, fires, bodies I also see hordes of people out in the street throwing rocks, bottles and shooting BACK....yes, the government is being heavy handed, but, I am seeing an awful lot of "protestors" pushing the right buttons to create a "situation" too. People, we cannot be The Police Of The World until we can take care of ourselves (The US Citizen Taxpaying Citizens). We do not need to be involved in yet another "conflict" turned war that we can't escape from without burying ourselves, our children, our grandchildren in unimmaginable debt....well, let's say it "break our country so bad we cannot defend ourselves and protect our citizens. We cannot cure the ills of the world. We cannot. For those yelling "Let's go fight", please, just send your paycheck to a homeless family right here in the USA, go pay the hospital bills of someone that does not have medical insurance because they are out of work....grow a heart for the US Citizens, please!
Linda for president!
How DARE. . . . . how DARE. . . . .that anyone would post something about our foreign policy that just reeks of COMMON SENSE!
All kidding aside, your post was EXCELLENT!
Who? Why would you even mention Iran, Syria or Libya? Our allies are who they have always been – Europe (especially the UK, France, Germany, Poland and Netherands), Australia and South Korea to name a few. We should not take the lead in any intervention but should be prepared to help in proportion to other countries through a NATO or UN peacekeeping mission. I agree that our first obligation is at home but we also are our brother's keeper. We should not intervene other than to help limit the attacks on civilians.
100% correct and don't forget about our own Civil War. The most brutal civil war ever fought. We solved our own problems the hard way. Syria situation is bad but it's not ours to fix. It's time for the middle east neighborhood to solve some of their own problems. Sad but true.
The French, English and Spanish all were involved in the Civil War. Read more.
Linda, we have to be careful when adopting an isolationist policy. History has borne out that we'll suffer for it. We did this very thing before the FIRST World War. We ended up going to war anyway. We are poised upon the brink of the Third World War. Because of economic/military foreign policy, something Washington WARNED us against engaging in...along with the creation of party politics, we've put our foot in it already. NATO will either end up going into Syria, The US and Russia will throw guns at them, or they will be left to themselves, Assad wins, and the worldview of the USA is in the crapper even further. Along with this mess, there's Iran. The Israelis aren't waiting much longer. As soon as they jump, we jump. We jump, Russia jumps. Russia jumps, China Jumps. China Jumps, N/S Korea Jump. With the big guys occupied, other countries will get into the fun. We have to tread carefully. I agree our economy's nauseatingly bad. We DO need to bring our industry back here. We DO need to create jobs and feed our own. Our National Security depends upon it. But abandoning foreign policy is folly and serves only to makes us vulnerable to attack.
They are torturing, raping, and killing children. I don't care what the cost is or we take heat for being the world police force. It's been too much for too long, no once should have to suffer like this. Especially not children, not at the hands of their own government.
How about the thousands of childeren who were aborted last year in the US. This government never did anything for them, except allow them to be murdered.
Do we really need to get involved in this conflict? Do we need to send our sons to fight somebody else's war?
How can an 18 year old idi0t have a son fighting in a war ????
Why do you always have to get involved in other countries, when you own back yard America is such a God awful mess. Okay so you gong to attack Syria, so why not give the rebels 100 billion dollars for free, we got lots of money to give away!
What do you think we are China? we don't have money. What we do have is a stock pile of bombs
Our on back yard is a God awful mess? Where have you been living, in the Washington, DC OWS encampment. Now that is a God awful mess.
Let's stay the F out. Let's join Russia and China for some Dim Sum and Vodka. We can bring an apple pie
I don't agree but....lol
Oh cool, let's go waste more money in the Middle East.
All we are saying, is give peace a chance...
And pardon Mark David Chapman.
Why? We're the U.S. military, not the world police, not the Syrian military... why should we send our kids to die for someone else? What is there in Syria worth the life of a single U.S. private?
What is worth fighting for is the mass murdering of men, women and children. Their lifes are just as valuable as my husbands whom is one of those soldiers you speak of. Its not a matter of policing the world. The point is doing what is right. Dont forget our country was also assisted when we called for regime change during the revolutionary war. The french stepped in and aided us in our war. The people of Syria are crying for a regime change it would not be us forcing it upon them.
Don't try to rationalize with a m0r0n. They will never understand.
Be careful, your sanity and moral conviction could be contagious. God Bless! You have the right heart.
The people of America are also crying for a change... Wake up.
God bless you Brittany...may God always watch over you, your husband and your family! Psalm 23
Some of the people are, some of them aren't. It's not up to us to decide if the current regrime is more oppressive, or the Muslim Brotherhood, who is seeking power. Ever notice how much worse things are after our servicemen go to a country? I appreciate that you believe in what your husband does, but it isn't helping.
Hey Brittany, which people in Syria? The ones selectively edited for your consumption by whatever controlled news outlet you watch? God, what a mistake this nation made ever allowing women to vote or run for a political office, and you are a prime example.
Your husband is cannon fodder.
Stay out of it boys. Let the muslims deal with their own idiotic culture. When they've had enough they'll fix it themselves.
We should stay out. If they want to kill each other let them, or how about those of similar religious or ethnic beliefs send their young in to be killed. If they bother us, make 'em glow, until then leave it alone.
So. killing innocent children doesn't move you to fight. You're a pathetic human being. More Muslim than American.
More Muslim than America... stop commenting on people's statements and calling them a moron simply because you don't totally agree with what they have to say. The only one who looks like a moron is you quite frankly. Is what is occurring in Syria tragic? Yes, it certainly is. But is what is occurring in our own country also tragic? It sure is. We can't afford to get further involved in international affairs.
people like you are so brainless that I don't know whether to laugh or cry. You believe everything you see on TV, you have no concept of the real world, and the gene pool would be better off without you. So, if a TV station in china shows video of the American gvt putting down a rebellion, does china have the right to invade the US and dictate internal matters in a sovereign nation?
BTW- if "killing innocent children" truly motivated American foreign policy, there would have been cruise missile falling on Haifa and Tel-aviv long ago.
The time for humanitarian bombing draws near
I just wonder if he'll even consult with congress
Yes, he is not Bush
P R, check your history. Bush at least went to congress. Obama did not. Our involvement in Libya should be now considered illegal, but of course he gets a pass from his useful idiots.
Just let the towel heads kill each other. Hahahahahahahaha
They are killing innocent children you total m0r0n.
We should stay out. We have nothing to gain. There will be another dictator after Assad. Why should we fight their war. Good luck people of Syria.
Forget Syria and concentrate efforts to takeout Iran!
I think more Russian and Chinese arms into Syria is the answer. Stupid bias CNN trying to make us take the position of the US. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO FORCE A REGIME CHANGE ON A SOVEREIGN STATE. Quit funding the terrorist opposition, and the problem will be solved. Fight them Assad, don't ever give control of your control to the US and the gulf states! Thank God to Russia and China!
I still think Russia and China dont really care what happens in Syria. They are in it for the money and especially Russia who needs it.
As long as Syria doesn't fall under US and Israeli/Qatari hegemony, a lot of Syrians, include myself, will be satisfied.
Well when US goes in Chine and Russia won't come to Syria rescue thats for sure.
Yes, keep supporting the murder of your innocent children by the micrognathic dictator who rose to power by nepotism, the curse of Syrian regimes.
Bah! This is no news. The military does this all the time; writing "what if" scenarios and practice making plans around them. I hope nothing comes from it but still, got to be prepared.
they need to stay out of it – this is exactly the kind of thing that gets the rest of the world to hating us.....let them figure it out for themselves and quit playing policeman
There are no options GD it. Let them kill each other. They hate us no matter what we do.
No war small enough for the US to lose.
This is a very complex situation. Obviously, diplomatic solutions have not been working very well. It's not surprising that we are looking at military action as a possible alternative. Of course, you have to look at the drawbacks of something like this. If the U.S. were to attack the government of Syria, it's almost a certainty that we would win, but unfortunately tensions would only rise between us, and Russia and China. Also, I'm sure there are plenty of other countries that may not be too thrilled about this action by the military. I hope that the people of Syria can overthrow al-Assad's government before outside influences take over the situation.
How about talking to the other Arab countries and suggest to them do something for change.
A lesson for all Islamic countries, do all your business with Russia and China and abandon the greedy American capitalists for good. This is how they have been playing you for years. First they put their chosen dictator in charge of your country, and sell him arms which he is forced to buy to stay in power, in return they rape the resources of your country for years. At the first instance this dictator disobeys his master or stands up against his master's master Israel, which is trying to bully its way into existence and domination on your stolen land, they either, 1) invade your country and steal more of your resources to rebuild your infrastructure that they destroyed during invasion and sell you more arms which you are now forced to buy to maintain stability caused by a sudden power vacuum, or 2) Fund and arm the dictator's opposition, and let you kill each other while they bomb you from the sky to replace him, and again steal more of your resources in exchange for more arms that the dictator's opposition is now forced to buy to maintain stability in the country. Look at the same pattern in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine, Libya, …………………etc. So the choice is yours, do all your business with the greedy American capitalists and get your resources stolen and end up getting bombed and killed, or do all your business with Russia and China, and have loyal steadfast friends on your side in both good times and bad, who will always respect your sovereignty.
Hmmm, sounds remarkably like Russia and China. How many examples would you like?
On behalf of islamic countries,
We will boycott Russia and China, and will expell their diplomats permanently. We will increase trade with the US and Europe and any western and freedom loving nation.
We will also give russia and china their weapons back, free of charge, when they have an armed revolution of their own.
Who's version of history have you been reading?
Somebody tell the Russians the part about not adding outside supplied weapons to the situation. The Russians & Chinese are, in effect, guaranteeing the Assad regime their backing. Just how dangerous is that for the situation as a whole?
uh oh here we go again.Reading our military for another invasion of another middle eastern country.Let the UN or Syrian people take care of it ,not our military.Haven't we lost enough soldiers in the last two conflicts/
you are an idiot. As a Canadian, i know more about your country than you ever will. The Pentagon has a plan to invade any country, including Canada. It is part of their job to be proactive in that sense.
Always love how people from other countries know more about the USA than our own citizens. Thanks Fox News.
Maybe you Canadians should keep your big ears focused on your own country....like maybe pay for your own freaking defense instead of the U.S. footing the majority of the bill. And, there's always Quebec to keep you occupied...just a matter of time before they take the plunge, separate, and no more Canada.
You are truly ignorant of pretty much everything. The best part of you trickled down the crack of your momma's ass and ended up a brown stain on the mattress.
You're a load your mom should have swallowed.
It doesn't make sense. So Russia is selling Syria weapons, and iran is in there with its top agents massacring civilians, and arming the opposition is not a viable option?
We did that to Afganistan in the 1980's. A lot of that equipment that special forces didn't destroy after refusing to sell it back to the USA were used against our troops. That's why we're not tossing weapons at resistance fighters.
here dwe are


text:
As the new year begins, bringing new colors into our homes can help refresh and recalibrate our spirits. This spring, blues may be just the tonic we need. Many color marketing and manufacturing groups have named some version of blue among their 2013 colors of the year. AzkoNobel likes indigo; Pantone's top palette includes Monaco Blue, a mix of royal and navy; Color Marketing Group chose midrange blues. That means that lots of home retailers will be singing the blues this spring, in a good way.
Blues range from energetic to restful. They can call to mind the graduated blues of the sky or those of the oceans, rivers and lagoons.
Blues play well with most colors, textures and room styles.
Rustic woven elements bring indigo home with a traditional, often global sensibility. Canadian designer Windsor Shaw pairs indigo silk drapes with a jute rug, for example. Sleek lacquerware and silver accessories take blue into smart city-modern territory.
Blue and white is a combination with lots of possibilities. Sara Peterson, HGTV Magazine's editor-in-chief, says, "We love soft blue-grays in master bedrooms, with white linens and dark wood furniture. Light blue is really pretty on painted kitchen cabinets with white countertops. In a kid's room, cobalt blue is fun when paired with painted white furniture and bursts of bright accent colors, like fuchsia or lime green."
RH Baby and Child has a reversible navy and natural braided wool rug, while Restoration Hardware offers Ben Soleimani's heathered navy pinstripe rug; both would be great bases for other navy touches in a room. (www.rhbabyandchild.com ; www.rh.com)
Crate & Barrel and CB2 have some peppy peacock-blue pieces in the spring collections. The latter's got the low-slung Avec sofa, skinny John floor lamp, and the Yolo flat-weave rug in a fresh, fun peacock and white circle print. (www.crateandbarrel.com)
At C&B, there's the little Willa wooden chair in perky peacock, and the Kruger patio side table and stool come in a deep ultramarine called Harbor Blue. (www.cb2.com)
This spring, Target's Threshold collection features an array of landscape blues, focusing on one in particular.
"As we traveled through Europe and Asia on our trend trips, teal started to become more prominent," says Julie Guggemos, vice president of product development.
Target's spring collection includes an ikat print shower curtain, a floral door mat and a ceramic lamp in teal. (www.target.com)
Indigo, an inky shade often found in dyed textiles, works with a variety of interior styles. It anchors neutrals less harshly than black, and it's a sophisticated counterpoint to bright colors or pastels.
Homegoods has well-priced, indigo printed upholstered chairs, fabric-covered storage boxes and ikat patterned towels. (www.homegoods.com)
Deep water or blueberries come to mind with Monaco Blue. It pops against many of the season's more playful shades, such as nectarine, pea green, violet, poppy red and lemony yellow.
Turquoise, which held sway over much of 2012's color story, stays strong into spring. The color is pretty, yet carries an edge. Modern décor looks great in turquoise: Ikea's Klippan sofa comes in a version that will have you thinking of the tropics. Go with that vibe by pairing it with textural white and cream accessories evoking sandy beaches, nubby shells and palm bark. (www.ikea.com)
Safavieh offers the Paris ceramic table lamp in a gentle light blue or the more emphatic navy. An upholstered ottoman in powder or ink would be a chic addition. (www.safaviehhome.com)
Categories: Uncategorized
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Lego Battles - Nintendo DS GameIncludes original Nintendo DS game cartridge and may include case and manual. All Nintendo DS games play on the Nintendo DS, DS Lite, and 3DS systems. All DK's games are in good used condition and are cleaned, tested, 100% authentic, guaranteed to work, and backed by our 1 year warranty.
- Region:
- NTSC (US, Canada)
- Platform:
- Product:
- Game
- Genre:
- Action Adventure
- Everyone
- Players:
- 1
1 Year Warranty. For more information Click Here.


text:
Issued by
Control Union Certifications
Rua Industrial do Aldão, 4750-078, Barcelos
The VCS Program is the world's most widely used voluntary GHG program. Over 1,840 certified VCS projects have collectively reduced or removed more than 984 million tonnes of carbon and other GHG emissions from the atmosphere.
Individuals and corporations around the world are recognizing the importance of reducing their GHG emissions. As a result, many of them are reducing their carbon footprints through energy efficiency and other measures. Quite often, however, it is not possible for these entities to meet their targets or eliminate their carbon footprint, at least in the near term, with internal reductions alone, and they need a flexible mechanism to achieve these aspirational goals. Enter the carbon markets.
By using the carbon markets, entities can neutralize, or offset, their emissions by retiring carbon credits generated by projects that are reducing GHG emissions elsewhere. Of course, it is critical to ensure, or verify, that the emission reductions generated by these projects are actually occurring. This is the work of the VCS Program – to ensure the credibility of emission reduction projects.
Once projects have been certified against the VCS Program's rigorous set of rules and requirements, project developers can be issued tradable GHG credits that we call Verified Carbon Units (VCUs). Those VCUs can then be sold on the open market and retired by individuals and companies as a means to offset their own emissions. Over time, this flexibility channels financing to clean, innovative businesses and technologies.
Verra's role is to develop and administer the program. We provide oversight to all operational components of the VCS Program and we are responsible for updating the VCS rules such that they ensure the quality of VCUs. The development of the VCS Program is supported by the VCS Program Advisory Group, a multi-stakeholder body that helps ensure that the VCS Program continues to serve its users in an effective and efficient manner and drives practical and robust solutions to mitigate climate change.


text:
Perry & Horton Construction is Minnesota's best resource for complete roofing companies local, from peak to gutters.
Whether you need repairs or a total roof replacement in Columbia Heights MN...
Perry & Horton Construction is Columbia Heights's best resource for complete roofing companies local, from peak to gutters. Whether you need repairs or a total roof replacement in Columbia Heights MN, we have the highly experienced, trained personnel and quality materials to do the job right. We are committed to using only the highest quality roofing materials from manufacturers such as GAF Corporation, professionally installed and fully warranted for many years of reliable service and protection.
Perry & Horton Construction Likewise Specializes In: Additions to houses Decks Kitchen as well as bath remodellings Finished cellars Exterior updates like house siding, home windows, cut a paint Siding Installation Home Additions All general building and construction
Perry & Horton Construction has the exterior home remodel expertise needed to help Columbia Heights MN homeowners safely and affordably roofing companies local. Whether you're looking for modern or traditional styles, we're here to help you find and keyword - that perfectly compliment your home's exterior.
Some exterior (Roofing Companies Local) home remodel jobs are better left to the professionals – And more often than not, gutter installation is one of them. Without the knowledge of an experienced exterior remodeling contractor, technical problems during your gutter installation can turn into a nightmare
As an award-winning design build home remodeling contractor since 1987, Perry & Horton Construction has earned a sterling reputation throughout the Columbia Heights MN Metropolitan Area for delighting clients with fair prices, professionalism, personal service, and being a company that homeowners can trust when remodeling their homes. We're proud to offer clients the full range of home remodeling services to take projects smoothly from concept and design with our AIA architect, through construction and completion.
Over the years, we've refined both our home redesigning experience and our procedure to attain results that are exactly ideal for you, your budget plan, and your home. Our expertise also allows us to supply an on-time, on-budget warranty and also among the most effective service warranties of any home renovating contractor in roofing companies local Columbia Heights.
Give us a call today at Perry & Horton Construction to learn more. We can't wait to hear from you, and are ready to get started on your new project roofing companies local so don't wait. Give us a call today (612) 351-1459
Please Leave us a review if we have done work for you...
When I woke up to water in my ceiling they were at my house within an hour. The secretary was incredibly nice and the crew called me before and after to talk to me about the work. I highly recommend them.
I highly recommend PRMN Contractors to all who are having or have had a leaking roof. I had multiple house and garage roof leaks after the storm. Newman Staff are great with communication, scheduling and feedback. They fit me into their schedule while in my area. I had a total garage roof replacement and ridge vent with total west side house roof replacement. The roofing team was professional and cleaned up all debris. Very skilled installers matched the house roofing shingles not replaced, you can't even tell the ridge was replaced, it is blended into the original roof. Give them a call. You will not be disappointed.
Hired them for gutter & downspout cleaning. The crew they sent out was fast and respectful. They cleaned my entire two story house's gutters and downspouts in around 1-2 hours of work. Cost was only $200. This was very helpful, as I am afraid of heights, and did not want to get up there myself. Now if I ever have more serious roofing concerns, I know who to call. Fair price, fast work, good crew.
They did a great job from start to finish and the cleanup was fantastic. Great folks to deal with
PH MN Construction was recommended by my brother and nephew. From the beginning of our first meeting to the completion of the roof, the staff was informative and attentive to our needs. I would recommend them myself to anyone. The service is excellent. Our foreman Perry made sure all ran smoothly and the workers efficiently. I was impressed! Thanks to all!
Excellent from start to finish. Perry answered all my questions and told me what to look out for when I got other quotes. So nice to have a company that doesn't have gimmicky discounts and salespeople that try to pressure you into signing a contract. Charles, the site foreman kept me informed. He told me when he had to leave to pick up something for my job, showed me pictures halfway through and when the job was done. He was there for the whole day. The crew. Can't say enough about them. They were busy all day(8-8). They know there stuff. I had a poor transition between roof sections that they skillfully improved. Like
We appreciate the time you've taken looking around our website and reading a bit about PH MN Construction.
We promise that we'll take the time to look at your home and and address any questions or concerns you might have about your roofing project.
We're here to help and would love the opportunity to work with you.
You can fill out the form on this page or give us a call and we'll set up a convenient time to meet you and assess your roofing companies local needs.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 612-351-1459


text:
Anderson Cooper details the results of a study commissioned by AC360° to explore children's perception of race. In Part I of the "Kids on Race: The Hidden Picture" series, an in-depth look at how young children interpret ambiguous drawings and understand interracial friendships.
It is great that you are spending this time looking at children, but keep in mind that while the racial make up of students in the classrooms across the US is clearly exploding with a stady increase in the number of students of color, over 85% of the teaching workforce is comprised of white females. The big question: Can white women overcome their racial biases to effectively reach and teach children of color? When you examine the low graduation rates, high dropout rates, grater rates of in and out of school suspensions for Black and Hispanis students, then it clearly looks like white women are struggling to provide students of color with the same quality of education as they provide to white children.
I think the honesty of theses kinds speak volume of their up bringing,most black kids are religious and think differently.
Sad that CNN runs with this story again after 2 years and again screws it up in order to push an agenda. The study used is garbage. As a trained Psychologist (though out of practice) I see two ways to have made this study legitimate (with the same result or not). It needed control groups. Control groups version #1 – why were no white kids shown pictures of just white kids in the scenarios? (And black kids shown all black kid versions?) If the white kids had been shown all white situations and not seen the same level of violence, you have "proof" of race playing a major factor in the study. Control groups version #2 – the study authors say that race was not systematically identified as a reason for claiming violence by the kids UNTIL the rest of the questions were asked – probing questions about race! What the heck!!! Of course kids start seeing race as an issue if you ask them to. Why weren't some kids asked about parental rich-vs-poor issues instead of race? Good grades vs bad grades? Something other than what the "researchers" wanted the kids to talk about. Doing both of these control group variations would have ensured the validity of the study by identifying truly if race factored into a judgement call and it would have shown if race only came into it when researchers lead kids to it. Shameful job, CNN.
Several scenarios would be good but the bottom line is all cultures experience racism and at some point children will have that dance with "racism". It's sad but in America it's usually "I'm black, you're white" – "I'm white, you're black". All parents are skeptical even in 2012 about interracial friendships – Most will not openly admit it, so – Ask the kids and you will find the true issue and fears about race.
I believe it's fair to say we as Americans are aware and trying desperately to teach all of our children to be open minded when it comes to race but then there is the other side that simply want to remain separate because of skin color.
There's nothing wrong with not wanting to date outside your race, it's only a harmless and non-invasive personal choice.
very well put!
OK. Here we go again. Another study just involving Black and white. So since race is an issue with two race groups studied here, then we have BIGGGER problem with racist people, cause they always leave out ASIANS who are super racist and if you don't believe me do a study on their kids and that would be a whole segment just In California alone, and how qbout a study on racsim and dating, then you have Persians , Spanish. What I'm trying to say here is race in America is a huge problem because it's a melting pot, in other countries racism is normal and not as so called BAD as it is in America. I'm so sick of this black and white thing. It NOT just that! Its the other races to that make such a nation of low class racist. Anderson and CNN your missing the big picture!
Racism is BAD in any country....a South African point of view.
It's always against blacks from mostly whites. They want to also take away the black vote and other minorites....are we going to have a second civil war? Whites harm America more than any other race by wanting to 1st steal anothers land, making a race slaves, cheating Americans by bankers stealing there money, Wall Street, biasness with jobs, there continured nepitisam, started all of America wars, segregation and oh so much more...yet, they call themselves "Christians" I recall Jesus helping the poor and out cast. Lord judge America so that we will learn the right lesson.
To me this seems like we're moving backward in terms of race relations. When I was a kid (not too long ago) it never occurred to me or any of the kids I went to school with that skin color meant anything, good or bad. Most of my childhood friends were black or Mexican and it didn't make a difference to anyone. I'd be interested to know exactly what sort of communities are raising these children to believe that there are differences between skin color and to believe that any one is less than the other. I'd also like to know why these kids are AFRAID of being friends with someone who doesn't look like them. I know my generation will do a better job of raising openminded and openhearted children who don't discriminate on such superficial terms.
If someone doesn't wish to associate with individuals of a different race from their own it's their harmless personal choice.
This video makes me very sad. I had hoped that there were changes, but apparently not. I can remember sitting in the back of the bus with Beatrice who picked up up at the nursery school, and the looks of hatred that the white adults gave us because we were sitting in the wrong place. I remember inviting the maid of our friends over to dinner, and being upset when she would not come- she was afraid that we would get in trouble. I was a child in Little Rock when Central High School was integrated, and mostly watched it on TV. It was awful how those 9 brave children were treated. We spent many hours discussing the situation at home. I was so proud when my mother joined the mother's committee to re-open the schools (the high schools were closed for a year). I knew that this did not make us very popular in the neighborhood, but it was the right thing to do.
Unfortunately, the parents of many of the children in the video have done an amazing job of teaching their children to discriminate. You really have to teach that to children apparently. My parents did not do that!
As a grandmother this makes me very sad. I have grandchildren with different skin color, and my hope is that they will always love each other, and maybe learn that inside we are all alike!
In response to your piece on "Race Relations Through A Child's Eyes" I did not think that the images were ambiguous at all. The first image depicts an African American boy "Bobby" standing behind the swing with one hand in a fist, a scowl on his face and arms slightly bowed in an aggressive gesture with a disturbed looking caucasian boy "Scott" on the ground. The second image, depicts a caucasian boy "Chris" standing behind the swing much like Bobby in the first image while an African American child "Alex", who on first glance, looks effeminate and more sad than disturbed. I'm not a child however, I think that this simply results in a less immediate response to the emotional quotient and subsequent conclusion that a child would make. This doesn't seem like a fair comparison to make in an effort to gauge an honest racially motivated response.
I, too, had to reexamine the pictures for the claimed ambiguity. If you look closely, you will notice that they are the exact same picture. The only difference is the boys' skin color and their hairstyle. As adults, we are not immune to the same biases that our children display. Even as an black woman, I constantly have to challenge my views of others and the world and ask myself if what I am choosing to believe is the truth.
Shame on us for teaching this filth to our children – they can't be friends because their skin color differs! Why can't we let our children pick and choose their own friends the old fashioned way: if we like the same things then we're friends. Do we really have to teach our kids to dislike others because their skin color is different? Teach them about other races and other cultures, surely, but let them decide their choice of friends. Kids tend to be alot more intelligent than we give them credit for. The old thinking that kids don't know what's good for them is not exactly true nowadays. Having helped raise kids in my own family since I was a kid myself I can tell you, they know a great deal more than we do.
I watched this and I was amazed by what I saw. I live in South Africa and I grew up during the apartheid democracy transition Although we had a black domestic worker, I was taught that we are not different even though she and her children were black, and they lived in a seperate area in town.
Thats besides the point. My point is, I would like to see a similar study done here in South Africa, and see what the attitudes of the children are in the various provinces, townships and suburbs.
loved the honesty of your young participants I just wanted to comment on their honesty is due that they havent been chastied yet for speaking the truth-Children learn what they live and live what they learn-and havent been programed to PC correct. The parents didnt have the time to reprogram them. I dont think that children of color have a more positive view but are open to more opportunities and they see themselves in the role of the good child of color in the pictures and have been verbally taught about race relations at home.
This once again proves that our discord is far worst. All kids start out with positive view until that view is changed or twisted by some parents. Most kids do not know about race until it is introduced by parents of that child. Have you notice where the role of the good child of color. It really starts at home in more ways than one, whether you teach your kids to treat those as they wish to be treated. Telling our kids that it is okay to play with the kid that does not look as they do. Telling them it is not okay to call a person a name as they do not want them to do it themselves.